VOA双语新闻 US Increasing Troop Levels in Iraq

More U.S. troops are on their way to Iraq ahead of elections set for the end of January. The additional forces are intended to bolster¹ security at a time when the country's insurgency² is threatening to prevent voting in areas of the country dominated by Iraq's Sunni minority, some of whom are demanding that the election be postponed³.

 

在伊拉克定于明年一月举行选举之前，美国正在向伊拉克增派部队，以巩固治安。反叛分子威胁说，他们要在以逊尼派为主的地区展开行动，阻止投票。有些逊尼派则要求推迟选举。

Defense⁴ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld approved a request from the top U.S. commander in Iraq to extend the rotations⁵ of more than 10,000 American troops in the country, while at the same time ordering the deployment⁶ of an additional 1500 active duty soldiers. That would put the total number of American troops in Iraq about 150,000 the most since the U.S. led invasion in March of last year.

 

国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德批准了驻伊拉克美军最高指挥官的要求，把1万多名目前驻扎在伊拉克的美国部队的轮调期延长，同时下令向伊拉克增派1千5百名现役军人。这将使驻伊美军的总人数达到15万人，这是去年三月美国攻入伊拉克以来最多的兵力。

Among those headed for Iraq are two battalions⁷ from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

 

调往伊拉克的部队包括以北卡罗莱纳州布拉格堡为基地的陆军第82空降师的两个营。

The decision to raise troop levels reflects on going concerns about security ahead of elections scheduled for January 30, and whether parts of the country engulfed⁸ in insurgency will be secure in time for the voting. Defense Secretary Rumsfeld has raised the possibility that some areas of Iraq may not be safe enough to ensure voting can take place. But there is also concern that if Iraq's Sunni minority do not take part in the vote or see the election as illegitimate, the insurgency could grow worse.

 

增兵决定反映出美国对伊拉克选举前的安全局势越来越感到担心。选举定于1月30号举行，但是，那些反叛势力猖獗的地区届时是否能有一个必要的安全环境，成为一个严峻的问题。国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德曾提到，伊拉克某些地区可能不够安全，无法选举。但是人们又担心，如果在伊拉克占人口少数的逊尼派不参预选举或者认为选举不合法，那么反叛武装的暴力斗争只会愈演愈烈。
 

1 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

2 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

3 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 rotations   

旋转( rotation的名词复数 )； 转动； 轮流； 轮换

参考例句：

• Farmers traditionally used long-term rotations of hay, pasture, and corn. 农民以往长期实行干草、牧草和玉米轮作。
• The crankshaft makes three rotations for each rotation of the rotor. 转子每转一周，曲轴转3周。

6 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

7 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

8 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》